Performance driven thinking a challenging journey that will encourage you to embrace the greatest performance of your life

PERFORMANCE–DRIVEN THINKING


Only by taking inspired massive action will your lucky break magically appear.
Richard Krawczyk
As a coach, I have guided Olympic medalists, multi-millionaires, media celebrities, and other high
achievers. Honestly, these people aren’t fundamentally that different from anyone else—with one
exception. David Hancock and Bobby Kipper have nailed exactly what that exception is—and how
you can use it yourself to go, quite literally, as far as you want in this world.
David Garfinkel
Author, Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Performance-Driven Thinking. In today’s fast-paced world, this type of
thinking will help keep you focused and aligned with your core values. It is a mindset you need to be
who you truly are meant to be! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a competitive edge.
Ali Pervez
www.alipervez.com #1 bestselling marketing author
In Performance-Driven Thinking, David Hancock and Bobby Kipper change the conversation about
what it takes to live a fulfilled life. What makes high performers succeed while others fail? How can
you duplicate their success? This book answers those questions, and more.
Ray Edwards
www.RayEdwards.com
Mind shifting! Bobby Kipper and David Hancock compel you to move from bystander to powerful
performer faster than you think is possible. Their remarkable insights give you the top-level
performance, personal excellence, leveraged efficiency, and freeing balance you deserve in your life
and business. Grab this book today, because it will transform your life forever.
Ken McArthur
Bestselling author of Impact: How to Get Noticed, Motivate Millions, and Make a Difference in
a Noisy World
David Hancock and Bobby Kipper deliver an outstanding product for anybody who is looking to take
their performance to a new level in any aspect of life.

Performance-Driven Thinking is thought provoking, sound, applicable, and inspirational. When
applied, the wisdom offered in this book will propel you further than you can imagine. Time spent
reading this important book is well invested.
Bethany Marshall
Professional MMA fighter
Performance-Driven Thinking is a refreshing look into the importance of cultivating the oftenoverlooked foundations for success: the right mindset, attitude, and ability to focus. The writing is
clear and motivating, with plenty of concrete tips woven throughout the book. A must-read for anyone
looking to level up success in their business!
Dina Proctor
Bestselling author of Madly Chasing Peace
If performance in life and what it takes to succeed have always baffled you, this book is the key to
unlock these mysteries. Performance-Driven Thinking will help you understand that you have
everything it takes to excel both personally and professionally. I am recommending it to every
member of my department, from firefighter to chief officer.
Sharon K. Caughlin
Division Chief, Chesapeake Fire Department
Performance-Driven Thinking clearly sets a path for everyone to get started on the performance of
their dreams. David Hancock and Bobby Kipper have taken performance to a new level with this
compelling book.
I highly recommend Performance-Driven Thinking.
Rick Frishman
Founder, Planned Television Arts
Performance-Driven Thinking is the required mindset for unlocking and utilizing your full potential
in the twenty-first century. Kipper and Hancock have written a thoughtful, well-organized guide that
provides essential advice for entrepreneurs, athletes, and anyone looking to get ahead in business and
in life. It will be required reading for my athletes and clients.
John O’Sullivan

Professional soccer coach Author, Changing the Game: The Parents’ Guide to Raising Happy,
High-Performing Athletes and Giving Youth Sports Back to Our Kids
Cut to the chase and win the race. High performers David Hancock and Bobby Kipper share profound
insights into the mindset of the champions. In a simple and accessible way, they help you to become
laser-focused, to live the life you were born to live, and to perform on all cylinders every step of the
way. If mediocrity is not your destination, you need this book.
Sky Blossoms
Intuitive guide and speaker Author, Best Thing Ever: Escape Disappointments and Drama and
Let True Love Into Your Life
Performance-Driven Thinking will change your world!
David Hancock and Bobby Kipper share proven strategies and give useful motivational tools page
after page as they define what and who a Performance-Driven Thinker is.
My life will forever be brighter after reading this book! Why? Performance-Driven Thinking helped
restore the needed balance in my life! It helped me understand that I am a Performance-Driven
Thinker—I am the greatest performer in my life!
By taking a journey through this wonderfully written manuscript, you too will awaken, feeling a fresh
new outlook on life!
Christine Malone
Author, Christine’s Kilimanjaro
Performance-Driven Thinking is a wonderfully crafted book that examines how to arouse
consciousness and leverage accumulated knowledge, talents, and skills into peak performances.
Stories are skillfully woven throughout the book to illustrate the complexity of the issues in a
simplistic way. It is a must-read book!
Ché D. Henderson
Principal, V2K, Inc. President-Elect, Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg
Performance-Driven Thinking puts you on the fast track to personal success. This information shifted
my perspective on myself and my business from ordinary to extraordinary in record time!
Robert D. Bessler

Author, Expansion Mastery: The Practical Guide to Living a Fully Engaged Life
The world is your stage. This book is an essential guide that provides practical how-to steps to
succeed with Performance-Driven Thinking. Balance is the new lever. You were born to perform.
Now is your time!
Janet I. Mueller
Founder of Leadership in Excellence Academy Speaker, coach, and Author of A Champion’s
Guide to Thriving Beyond Breast Cancer
David Hancock is a driven entrepreneur who has built an empire from scratch. With Bobby Kipper,
David embraces the perspective for achieving your best in Performance-Driven Thinking. It’s a
must-read!
Bryan Eaton
Author, Success Platforms
SuccessPlatforms.com
As a fellow entrepreneur, Performance-Driven Thinking was a joy to read. Finally, a clear way to
explain myself to those who want to know who I am, how I think, and what motivates me to do the
things I do. I see Performance Driven Thinking as an excellent foundational document for the building
of a performance driven culture in any organization.
Steve W. Griffin
Chairman and CEO CML Entertainment
Performance-Driven Thinking offers a paradigm shift to change the conversation landscape about the
path people should consider to achieve personal excellence. It adds a much different and thought
provoking perspective for anyone to emerge into their new ‘self.’ Authors David Hancock and Bobby
Kipper really put it out there with an ‘in your face gut check’ that will eliminate personal excuses for
anyone who is wondering ‘when is it my turn to succeed?’ Performance-Driven Thinking can change
the lens of leadership at a time when the world is wondering ‘what’s next for leadership?’ It offers a
credible answer simply from its easy to apply principles to improve capability and personal
commitment that begins in the title. Performance-Driven Thinking will be required reading and the
pre-work for our students in the years to come.
Damian D. “Skipper” Pitts

Founder/CEO, The Leadership Bar - A Professional Development Center


Performance-Driven Thinking should be prescribed to all as medicine for the mind. For, within its
pages we discover the cure for the cancer called average that has ravaged our world leaving behind
pandemic numbers of people who simply exist or at best endure life. Those who read PerformanceDriven Thinking and apply what is learned will begin to enjoy the life others only dream of.
Shonn Keels
Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, Entrepreneur, Best Selling Author and Team Leader TeamImpact.com
Performance-Driven Thinking is a must read! Whether in your personal or professional life, the
message that David Hancock and Bobby Kipper convey is absolutely motivational! Life may throw
you curve balls every now and again, but no matter what, YOU have what it takes to overcome and be
your best. Don’t waste your life in the comforts of cruise control…take charge of your life, shift into
high gear, and ENJOY the ride!
Tanesha Scott
General Manager, Regus Management Group
Wow! As I read Performance-Driven Thinking, I was struck by the consistency of aha moments and
insights - even those I knew but was appropriately reminded of in the context of this topic. It takes
something powerful and emotionally charged to spark real change in once’s life. Performance-Driven
Thinking delivers. I’m getting ready to read it again.
Lori Ruff
CEO, Integrated Alliances, The LinkedIn Diva
Anyone can talk about performance-driven thinking. These authors actually break it down and show
you how you can become a performance-driven thinker right now.
Laura Atchison
Business Strategist and Best Selling Author
The world as we know it is changing fast and as a result companies are disappearing and new
companies are being created. Whether you are building a personal brand, building social proof, or
whether you are an entrepreneur or business leader - understanding and putting into action the
principles that David Hancock and Bobby Kipper reveal in their book Performance-Driven Thinking
will help you distinguish what separates you from choosing to be a performer or to be simply

satisfied going along for the ride.
It’s undeniable, all of us have something to offer or share, whether it’s knowledge, skills or abilities.


David and Bobby explain that: “we were born to perform and that the world is our stage”. In order to
separate ourselves from the crowded and noisy market place full of competition, we need to stand out
and create the performance of our lives. Performance-Driven Thinking should challenge you to get
off the sidelines and jump into your role by putting in your best performance. Nothing will happen
unless you actually do something! After reading Performance-Driven Thinking you can’t help but
feel inspired and motivated to take action. This book is a must read - Bravo David and Bobby!
Eric V. Van Der Hope
International Bestselling Author of Mastering Niche Marketing
An insightful and inspiring handbook on how to carry out your life’s calling with precision and
excellence.
Frank Viola
Author, God’s Favorite Place on Earth, frankviola.org
If you want to go from being a passive observer to thriving participant in your own life, read
Performance-Driven Thinking.
Jeff Goins
Author, The In-Between
The real American Dream is not to get a guaranteed salary, benefits and retirement - it’s to perform at
such a level that rewards include financial, physical, emotional, spiritual and relational abundance.
Performance-Driven Thinking will move you from “I can” to “I will.”
Dan Miller
New York Times bestselling author 48 Days to the Work You Love


PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN THINKING
A Challenging Journey That Will Encourage You to Embrace the
Greatest Performance of Your Life

David L. Hancock and Bobby Kipper

NEW YORK


PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN THINKING
© 2014 David L. Hancock + Bobby Kipper. All rights reserved.
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Published in New York, New York, by Morgan James Publishing. Morgan James and The Entrepreneurial Publisher are trademarks of
Morgan James, LLC.
www.MorganJamesPublishing.com
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TO JAY CONRAD LEVINSON (1933–2013)
There are so many places to start, so many stories to pass on. It is hard to decide where to begin. I
could start with the story of how Jay convinced me to write my first book. Or the story of how we
first met in person at Armand Morin’s Big Seminar over six years after starting to write together. Or
the story of how Jay and I sat for hours in his home talking about his journey in the desert. They are
all amazing.
Jay was a phenomenal storyteller. Most great leaders are. I loved each and every one of his stories.
He was entertaining, inspiring, encouraging, and of course, very educating. My favorites are the
classics like the birth of the Marlboro Man and how Tabasco grew back to profitability with one
amazingly simple trick. Or how he and Jeannie married on their very first date (which was the very
first time they met). Like I said, they are all great stories, and I’ve heard them all.
But I’ll start with a more personal one.
Almost exactly two years ago, while having dinner at Smokey Bones with Jeannie and Jay in Florida,
Jay turned to me and said that he’d like to tell me a story. I immediately laughed and said that I’ve
heard them all, but I could hear them all over and over again. He smiled and said that this one he
could guarantee I had not heard before. “Challenge accepted,” I said.
He proceeded to tell me, with his usual, carefully chosen words—with joy and purpose—that five
months ago he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone marrow cancer.

He was right. I had not heard that story. My heart dropped into my stomach as I listened on.
He went on to tell me that it was incurable and untreatable, and he was given less than six months to
live.
I couldn’t hold back my tears. I was getting all choked up as I tried to tell him that I didn’t want to
hear that story. Jay comforted me as he continued. He looked at me with a big smile and told me not to
be sad. He said the story has a very happy ending.
Then he went on to tell me how he’s lived a full life. He’s accomplished every goal he set out. He
listed literally dozens of amazing moments in his life. I could barely keep up.
He then told me of how amazingly grateful he was to have me in his life. And how much fun he’s
having writing and publishing with me.
I lost it.


Of all the talents Jay had, and this is so true, his most endearing talent was his ability to make you feel
like it was more of an honor for him to be with you than the other way around. He was a very
gracious, loving man—as you can see in this short video interview from October 2008, when he
ambushed my praise of him and turned it on me ( />Let me get back to the happy ending.
Jay continued to tell me all the joys he had as our lives intersected. Then he paused, smiled even
bigger, and said, “I’ve filled my bucket to overflowing and I’m ready to kick it!” We both laughed out
loud. It was too clever of a quip not to.
We all were blessed to have him in our lives, and he defied the odds, as he always had with
everything he did.
He passed at home in Jeannie’s arms, early in the morning of October 10, 2013.
Join with me not in the mourning of his passing, but the joy and celebration of his life!
Jay, I will always love you, and I am eternally grateful to have had you in my life. You were, as I said
before, very entertaining, inspiring, encouraging, and educating. You taught me so many things,
including the importance of having balance—which is what Performance-Driven Thinking is all
about.
Thank you, Jay, for including me on your journey, and being a part of mine.
David L. Hancock

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Chapter 1: You Were Born to Perform
Chapter 2: When Everyone Gets a Trophy: Obstacles to Performance-Driven Thinking
Chapter 3: Attitude: The Foundation of Performance-Driven Thinking
Chapter 4: Performance-Driven Thinking in Your Personal Life
Chapter 5: Performance-Driven Thinking in Business
Chapter 6: Leading Performance-Driven Thinking
Chapter 7: Dealing with Non-Performers
Chapter 8: Believing in Small Wins
Chapter 9: Sustaining Performance-Driven Thinking 95
Chapter 10: Selecting Your Stage to Perform
Chapter 11: The Moment of Truth: Are You a Performer or a Bystander?
Conclusion: The Stage Is Set—Now Introducing You
Performance-Driven Resources
About the Authors


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As we continue on our journey of performance, we realize that without the help of top performers,
this dream would not have become a reality. We would sincerely like to express our great
appreciation to the following individuals for their valued support and Performance-Driven attitude in
helping us bring this project to completion:
Rick Frishman, publisher
Jim Howard, publishing director
Margo Toulouse, managing editor
Amanda Rooker, developmental editor

Brittany Douglas, cover design and branding
Chris Treccani, interior design and layout
Nate Razzano, website development
Bethany Marshal, marketing and publicity liaison
We would also both like to thank our families and individual friends who throughout our lives have
enabled us to pursue the performance of a lifetime. Most importantly, we want to thank those who
read this book and use it.


FOREWORD
Whether you were awakened this morning by the sun streaming through your window, your phone
alarm playing your favorite ringtone, the kids jumping on the bed, the dog licking at your face, or just
naturally wiping the sleep from your eyes without any external prompting, odds are that if you are
reading these words, you did indeed wake up!
And that, my friend, is your call to action.
You see, I believe every person on the face of the earth was created by God with unique passions,
talents, skills, abilities, and personality, which, when mixed together and placed inside a physical
body (which looks a lot like you!), makes them completely unique from anyone who has ever, or will
ever, live. That means you are truly one of a kind!
If that’s true (and I’m certain that it is), that means your unique composition qualifies you to bring
value to the world in a way no one else can. Sure, others may be in similar vocations, but I guarantee
that you have a special “something” that no one else has.
Remember the wind-up wristwatch? Many people have stopped wearing the old-school watch and
now prefer an LED readout, while others have left their wrists naked, since their phones tell time so
accurately. However, I know some people still wear these mechanical devices. I personally find
wind-up watches fascinating.
Did you know that there are well over one hundred parts in a Rolex watch? Each part is essential to
the form and function of the watch. Without one of these parts, the watch would fail to look like a
Rolex or operate perfectly like a Rolex.
If a cog in a watch is essential for keeping perfect time, how much more essential is it that you play

the role you were designed to play?
I would submit to you that playing your role (as your authentic self) is so important that not to do so
would be to do a disservice to the world around you. Yes, you are that important!
While in the context of acting, performance is clearly about being someone else, that’s not the kind of
performing this book is about.
Performance is not about being anything and anyone other than who you are. It’s also not about
meeting someone else’s standards. It’s about gratefully welcoming the new day and the opportunities


it provides to show up and be the best you possible. It’s an invitation to live out your God-given
uniqueness in a way that positively impacts the lives of others.
When we are living from our true selves and seeking to bring value to the lives of others, we don’t
have to worry about what’s in it for ourselves. When we make it our aim to “deliver the goods”
through our relationships, words, and actions, we can be sure that we have done the best we can do,
even if imperfectly. And when we can look back at the day, knowing we’ve done the best we can,
that’s where we find true satisfaction in our work.
So what causes one person to perform and another to wave the white flag? What practical steps can
you take to sharpen your mindset and perform more effectively?
The book you are holding is important. Bobby Kipper and David Hancock have thoroughly
researched Performance-Driven Thinking, and they have demonstrated the principles they teach by
stepping up and writing this book. It is a manifestation of the very mindset they hope to pass on to you.
Count yourself fortunate if you are reading these words. Not everyone had the same opportunity to
welcome this new day. That means you’ve got work to do. It’s time to show up and shine. The world
is waiting for you.
Joel Comm
New York Times bestselling author
www.JoelComm.com


CHAPTER 1:

You Were Born to Perform

You have waited for months to see your favorite band. The tickets sold out quickly, but you were
fortunate enough to land a couple. You grab your favorite partner and head out for a nice dinner
before the show. After dropping just over fifty dollars for a great meal, including drinks, you head to
the sold-out concert venue. You arrive in heavy traffic and find your seats. After the opening band
plays, there is a brief intermission and the lights go out. You are psyched as you wait for the main act.
The stage is set, the moment has arrived, and excitement fills the air. The long-awaited band takes the
stage, the lights flash on—yet there is a noticeable silence. The band is just standing there,
instruments in hand, completely still and silent. The crowd gets restless and begins to clap in sync.
Where is the music? Why isn’t the group performing? What’s going on?
After a period of time, the band leaves the stage and the house lights come on. The announcer lets the
crowd know that the band has decided not to play tonight. How could that happen?
It happens every day all over the world. Since the day you were born, the stage for you to perform has
been set. It begins when we are infants and continues on throughout our lives. Our first steps are
celebrated. Our first words are captured and applauded. Your first day of school is a milestone. The
day you graduate from high school is recorded and remembered. But what makes these moments
special is not just about that present achievement, as important as it is. It’s the fact that this
achievement marks the threshold of an even bigger opportunity. At each new juncture, you apply what
you learn and take the next step. You didn’t learn to walk to stop short of learning to run. You didn’t
learn to add to stop short of learning to multiply. The key moments in our lives are all about learning
how to perform—and going on to perform on a bigger stage.
Your knowledge, skills, and abilities were no accidents. And your God-given talents were not
intended to be wasted. If we look around our world today, we could all name individuals who could
have made a huge difference in life if they would have performed to their abilities. People who had
the talent and opportunity but just would not take the next step toward performance.
So why do some people take the stage in life, while others hesitate? That is the magic question that
faces our entire society. Parents wonder why some children perform and others hold back. Educators

are equally perplexed, spending countless hours (and dollars) trying to motivate performance in
students. And despite the myriad of books and systems guaranteeing better performance and
productivity, most businesses still struggle to find the right formula that works long term. While most
of our programming and efforts in the past several years have focused on group or team performance,
one central issue still remains. We cannot escape the fact that performance (or the lack thereof) is
fundamentally an individual decision.


Look around and answer this question: if the people within your scope of influence fail to perform,
whose fault is it? While you can encourage performance as a leader, you cannot perform for others.
Just as you were born to perform, so were they. We are all born with some level of opportunity.
Some were born with certain obstacles, but look at the countless people in our society who have
overcome obstacles such as disease and birth defects to become champions. War-battered heroes
have returned to our society and have become inspirational leaders. Cancer survivors have battled
their disease and have pushed onward. Victims of crime and disorder in our society have started
national efforts to fight for the rights of others who have faced injustice.
If our bodies were programmed to perform, everyone would automatically perform to the limit of
their ability. But we know that’s not the case. Some people wait for their ship to come in; others
swim out to it. Some people wait for the right time; others say there is no time like today. Some
people wait for the right circumstances; others create their own circumstances regardless of ability,
heredity, or opportunity.
So again, what separates those who choose to perform and those who become idle in their efforts?
This question has perplexed both David and I (Bobby) throughout our years in leadership in both the
public and private sectors.
I first noticed performance issues in the workplace when I began my career in law enforcement at the
young age of 20. Since the third grade, I had wanted to be a police officer. I made it my goal to
proudly wear the badge and gun in an effort to change society. I can recall working hard as a
detective to clear cases. At the same time, other investigators displayed an attitude of coasting along
when it came to their caseload. Obviously there was a significant difference in the performance of
those who worked hard and those who just coasted along.

But the surprising aspect, which was consistent throughout all my years working in the police
department and in local government, was that everyone received the same yearly raise whether they
produced effort or not. Non-performers received the same incremental increase in pay as performers.
This was my first introduction to what I learned later was a status-quo attitude toward performance
and overall effort. As a person who is driven by performance, this both perplexed and disappointed
me. We will reflect more on this issue in chapters 4 and 6, where we discuss workplace
performance.
In addition to the workplace, I also noticed performance issues in the area of organized athletics. For
over thirty years I have had the honor and enjoyment of being involved in the world of sports as a
high school official, prep school coach, and Little League coach. As a top-level high school
basketball official, I had the opportunity to be involved in a number of games where it was evident
that players were giving their very best effort in pursuing their goals of winning the contest. But
surprisingly, I can also recall a number of games where players appeared to be simply going through
motions of participating, acting as if losing was no big deal.


As a coach at the youth sports and prep-school level, I have coached players with little ability, as
well as those with excellent athletic skills. I have always been amazed at the varying degrees of
attitude toward performance among both talented and less-talented athletes alike. At times it seemed
that a number of players with natural God-given talents did not possess that so-called “killer
instinct,” while many who struggled with their abilities possessed a truly performance-driven attitude
and superior work ethic.
Suffice to say, I have been perplexed about this question of why some individuals are driven to
perform while others appear to be going along for the ride. But all of my thoughts and questions in
this area came to a head during my oldest daughter’s high school basketball game several years ago.
During the second half of the game, an errant pass between players was heading out of bounds when
my daughter, Jolie, dove after the loose ball to save it for her team. After she made the play that every
dad and coach would marvel at, I was approached by one of the most successful men I knew, also
attending the game, who posed an interesting question. He asked, “What causes a kid to do that?” I
looked at this gentleman with a puzzled look and responded, “I’m not sure I can answer that.”

As her dad, of course, I wanted to take credit for her sudden outburst of amazing performance. But I
quickly realized that what Jolie displayed was an individual quality and not something I could just
give her. She was driven to go after the ball while others stood and watched the play. You see, others
could have put forth the same effort, but something made her want it more. At that moment, I realized
that there had to be a specific thought process that defines our inner initiative, or the lack thereof. It
has to be more than instinct; it has to be more than heredity.
That was when David Hancock and I began our conversations about what really drives performance.
David is an entrepreneur and founder of Morgan James Publishing, as well as my friend, colleague,
and business coach, so I had already noticed he had certain qualities that seemed to result in
consistent performance and success. For example, I had noticed that he invested heavily in his
employees who showed a natural drive to perform, because helping them succeed helped his business
succeed. Being the inquisitive guy I am, I asked him many more questions about why he made the
kinds of decisions he did, which began a deeper discussion about performance in general.
Together David and I began to examine the characteristics of individuals who perform at the highest
level despite massive obstacles, and to seek workable solutions for those who, for some reason or
another, simply don’t step up to the stage.
We realized that almost everyone has the desire to perform and may even know that they were born to
perform. But that’s not enough. There has to be a conscious decision to perform. Even the best-trained
athletes have to have the thought that translates to the will to perform. How many times have you
heard the statement “They just didn’t show up tonight” when describing a team that suffered a huge
loss? Does this mean that they were not physically present? Of course not. They were there in body,
but not in thought. They did not leave behind their ability to perform; they left behind their will to
perform. Sports stars, musicians, great actors, and other successful people do not perform by


accident. Inevitably they have the stamina of thought and will to push through the tough process that
eventually will lead them to peak performance on the world’s biggest stages, whatever their fields
may be. It comes down to their ability to know what they want and to have the mental strength to go
for it.
So we realized that performance didn’t depend solely on the desire to succeed, and it didn’t solely

depend on the effort or will to succeed. The two needed to be connected through a particular thought
process. We have defined this process as Performance-Driven Thinking, and we think it could change
your life!
Here is our definition of Performance-Driven Thinking:

PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN THINKING:
The thought process that connects the desire to perform with the will to perform a specific
task or goal.
DESIRE: To long or hope for something you want.
WILL: To decide, attempt, or bring desire to action.

This definition is based not merely on research but on reality. You can’t begin to perform until you
make a conscious decision to do so. But our purpose in writing this book goes beyond simply defining
Performance-Driven Thinking. It truly is our desire to bring it out in you! We don’t want you to waste
another day without stepping up to the plate. We don’t want you to continue to go through life
wondering what could have been if you had only taken that next step. No matter how big or small,
your next step could be the one that changes your life.
If we want to raise the level of performance in our people and ourselves, we need more than simply
coaching or encouragement. We need to understand what is missing in our thinking so we can plug in
what is needed. That’s exactly what you will learn in this book.
Because David and I come at Performance-Driven Thinking from different perspectives, we thought it
best to address it separately from our own unique vantage points. In the main text of each chapter, I
will cover Performance-Driven Thinking from a more practical, on-the-ground perspective, based on
my years of experience as a coach and public servant in the police force. In the sidebars, David will
cover Performance-Driven Thinking from a visionary and business strategy perspective, based on his
years as a successful entrepreneur and business owner. Taken together, we believe you’ll get a fuller
picture of what Performance-Driven Thinking is all about, no matter what context you find yourself in


—and how to start using it in your own life, beginning now.

Performance-Driven Thinking: The Goal Is the Journey
First of all, congratulations on even considering becoming a Performance-Driven Thinker in a
new, rapidly changing world. It’s challenging, but you’re in for a lot of fun. Work? Of course,
lots of work, but fun too. Lots of fun, if you do it right.
The first thing you’ll notice about being a Performance-Driven Thinker is that your goals will be
different from the old-fashioned goals of a non-Performance-Driven Thinker. If you’re an
entrepreneur or a business owner, for example, a Performance-Driven Enterprise is flexible,
innovative, unconventional, low in overhead costs, dependent, interactive, generous, enjoyable,
and profitable. The goal of the enterprise is to stay that way.
Look at the entrepreneurs all around you. If you can’t see many, it’s because they are not
Performance-Driven Thinkers. Instead they’re buried in work, rarely coming up for the fresh air
of free time. When you learn to truly perform, you become far more efficient and effective. In
fact, the goals of Performance-Driven Thinkers allow them the freedom to pursue interests
beyond work—while amassing an income beyond that of their workaholic ancestors.
You can always tell Performance-Driven Thinkers by their goals. They are not as money minded
as the entrepreneurs who came before them. They seem to be happier with the work that they’re
doing and appear to care like crazy about satisfying the needs of their customers. You’ve never
seen follow-up done the way these people do it. They stay in touch constantly with their
customers. It’s not as if they are working at their business, but rather demonstrating passion for
their work. Their goal is to express that passion with excellence and transform it into profits.
Not surprisingly, Performance-Driven Thinkers achieve their goals on a daily basis. Their longterm goals are lofty. Those goals exist in the future. Their short-term goals are even loftier.
Those exist in the present, for that is the domain of the Performance-Driven Thinker. That is
where her goals are to be found in abundance.
Your ability to plan for the future and learn from the past will determine your level of comfort in
the present, in the here and now. Being a Performance-Driven Thinker means realizing that these
can be the good old days and that you don’t have to wait for the joy that comes with success. It’s
there in front of you, in the present moment.
Wake up from the Old American Dream and realize that it has changed for the better—the New
American Dream is more achievable, more enjoyable, and much healthier than the old one.

Although at this moment you may find the New American Dream unconventional, as all
Performance-Driven endeavors are, you’ll soon see that it will come to be the mainstream
American Dream, because it is achievable and brings increased benefits. Most of us can dream
it and then delight in making it come true.
Originally, the dream meant having enough food and protection from the weather. Cave dwellers
dreamt of hunting enough game or gathering an abundance of nuts and berries. That dream has
changed, replaced by the hope of earning enough money to feed a hungry family. The Industrial
Revolution took care of that and eventually gave birth to the American Dream: a house, a job,
and financial security.
Entrepreneurs of the twentieth century were motivated by a slightly different version of the
American Dream. In place of a house, a job, and financial security, they sought fortune, security,
expansion, and power. But that journey was characterized by workaholism, sacrifice, and greed.
The entrepreneur of the future will need to be a Performance-Driven Thinker—one who thrives
on the non-traditional, does the unconventional if the conventional is nonsensical, and knows
that working in the new millennium requires rethinking the nature of being a successful
entrepreneur.
The performance goals of the twentieth-century entrepreneur were simple—securing a job, a
family, a home. The goals of the Performance-Driven Thinker are considerably loftier than those
of the past: attaining work that is satisfying, enough money to enjoy freedom from worry about
it, health good enough to take for granted, a family or bonding with others in which you can give
and receive love and support, fun that does not have to be pursued but exists in daily living, and
the longevity to appreciate with wisdom that which you and those you love have achieved.
Balance will be the new dream. Performance-Driven Thinkers who go about creating a profitproducing enterprise will begin with balance, actually starting with work that makes them
happy, the goal of all Performance-Driven dreams. Once that has been attained, PerformanceDriven Thinkers will be able to pursue their other goals: making money, enjoying free time,
maintaining health, and having fun.
Most important, as I (David) hope you realize, the goal of the Performance-Driven Thinker is
the journey itself.

So we take on this journey of performance. Our goal is not to measure knowledge, skills, and ability,
but to wake up and motivate the conscious desire to perform—and connect it to the will to perform.
Many people are asleep at the wheel in their personal and professional lives. They fail to perform, so


they fail to make a difference—not simply because they don’t want to, but because they have reached
a point where staying idle is easier. Is that person you? Is that person in your family, perhaps one of
your children? Is that person someone who works with you or for you?
You’re going to have a chance to diagnose whether you are a bystander or a performer in chapter 10,
after you’ve had a chance to learn more about what Performance-Driven Thinking really entails. But
whether you’re already a performer, a bystander, or somewhere in between, this process is not about
finger pointing. It is about moving beyond where you are and reaching out to where you could be.
Think what the world would be like if everyone stepped up to the stage and performed. What would
happen in our homes, businesses, and communities?
Performance-Driven Thinking is the first step. Beginning this journey is a personal choice—no one
can make you perform except you. And Performance-Driven Thinking begins with the clear
understanding that we were born to perform. The world is our stage. Opportunities already surround
us that will allow us to step up and take part in the performance of our lives.
Don’t miss out on the greatest opportunity that you will ever have. Your lights will only burn for the
season of your life. It’s never too late to take the stage. Step up and enjoy the ride: your audience is
waiting. You were born to perform!

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of
knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
Vince Lombardi


CHAPTER 2:

When Everybody Gets a Trophy:

Obstacles to Performance-Driven Thinking

Even though our journey toward performance is based on our individual thoughts and actions, we all
have to face some outward obstacles. One of the biggest, in my opinion, is the cultural mindset of
entitlement.
A few years ago I had the opportunity to coach my son’s Little League baseball team. It was an
exciting and challenging experience. I really enjoyed teaching the kids to improve their game in both
hitting and fielding. The trouble was that we did not do either very well. At the end of the season, we
had managed only to win three games in an eleven-game season. A few days before our last game, I
was riding in the car with my son when he asked an interesting question. “So Dad, when do we get
our trophies?”
I must admit I was dismayed that Andrew felt he and his fellow teammates deserved trophies for a
losing season. My curiosity took over, and I asked him, “Why do you think you and the team deserve
to get a trophy?” His answer actually shocked me: “Dad, everybody gets a trophy.”
I felt saddened that my son, at age ten, had been conditioned to believe that everybody deserves to
reap rewards even when their performance level does not merit it. Then it occurred to me that this
mindset is not just true of our kids; it has become true of who we are as a nation.
Today, our children become indoctrinated with this entitlement mindset at an early age, often with
youth sports. Years ago we stopped declaring winners and losers, and now everybody gets a trophy.
Children who have little or no skill level are decorated for mere participation. These same groups of
children then show up at the doors of our educational institutions and act oppressed when they
discover that grades must be earned and are awarded based on whether a student performs according
to an objective standard. But wait: many school districts have now lowered the bar on the grading
scale. In some cases, children are passed on to a higher grade without earning it. In many cases when